The King's Festival
by BloodRavenFan
Summary: A different Gilgamesh is summoned during the Fourth Holy Grail War, and by a different Master. Reborn into the world, the King proclaims a festival among the summoned heroes to demonstrate their right to be called 'Heroic Spirits' - ON HIATUS PENDING REWRITE.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own any characters, names, and any copyrighted material used in this work. This is a fanfic, period. Everything belongs to their respective owners. Comments and constructive criticism are all very much appreciated.

The King's Festival

Chapter 1

When Kariya had succeeded in summoning a Berserker-class Servant, Zouken Matou had been quite pleased. Despite this, Kariya immediately vacated the premises of the Matou Manor.

For one thing staying at the Matou Estate would draw the attention of the other Masters, and just bring further risk to Sakura – the poor girl had already gone through a lot, and didn't deserve to get pulled into the fiasco that was the Holy Grail War. Second of all, he didn't want to depend any more than was necessary on the walking corpse that was the head of the Matou Clan. Unfortunately, that latter part also meant that he couldn't draw on the admittedly-sizeable assets of the clan, as Zouken had been rather insulted – though personally Kariya knew that the old man just enjoyed torturing him so – by Kariya's refusal to partake of his 'hospitality'.

As such Kariya was forced to skulk like a beggar in the alleys of the city, brooding on his rage and hatred against both Zouken Matou and Tokiomi Tohsaka. All the while the worms in his body continued to eat away at him, steadily weakening both his mind and body. Kariya knew that he would not survive this war. He also knew that most likely Zouken had no intention of honouring their arrangement. As such, he hoped – despite knowing that it was more than likely that none of the other Masters would be truly reliable – to make an alliance with one of the other Masters in the faint chance that they would be humane enough to ensure Sakura's well-being in the aftermath of the war.

A fool's hope perhaps, but then again – Kariya was self-admittedly a fool.

He had hoped that when Aoi had agreed to marry Tokiomi then the other magus had some shred of Humanity in him. But ultimately the man had proven to be as cold and heartless as the rest of his misbegotten kind, and Aoi it seemed had gone along with his decision.

Was her kind smile and gentle demeanour all a façade then?

Perhaps it was as he feared…and yet Kariya still hoped that she would accept Sakura back when this war ended.

Or if not, then his ally might be willing to take the poor girl in, and at the very least ensure that she wouldn't have to go through any more hellish experiences.

Kariya knew he shouldn't expect any better from magi, yet he continued to hope. After all, he was only a Human, and hoping for salvation from what seemed like inevitable defeat was an all too Human response.

And so Kariya just sat and brooded in the alleys, waiting for the war to start.

* * *

Sola-Ui Nuada-Re Sophia-Ri had seen magi perform miracles beyond imagining and commit unspeakable horrors, but she had never seen such a perfect Servant.

Kayneth it seemed had performed a perfect summoning.

"Greetings…" the Servant said, kneeling before his Master. "…I am the Servant Lancer, Diarmuid Ua Duibhne. And by the grace of the Holy Grail, I pledge my allegiance unto you, my lord."

Sola didn't pay attention to any of his words. All she could focus on was Lancer's handsome face, his muscled body, and the noble timbre of his voice. And that wild hair…she could lose herself imagining what it was like to run her hands through it. She felt her body heat up as she began to fantasize like a young girl about how it would be like running away with the Servant to start a new life together…

"Lancer…" Kayneth responded with approval. "…I am Lord Kayneth Archibald El-Melloi. As your Master in the upcoming Fourth Holy Grail War, I fully expect you to serve as befits a Servant of your class and rank. Furthermore, I expect you to obey whatever command I give you. Am I understood?"

"I am your sword, my lord." Lancer replied while kneeling, and Kayneth nodded with aristocratic approval. Kayneth was many things; arrogant, merciless, and selfish among others, but he was also an aristocrat to the bone. He would respond to his Servant's submission – no matter how far the Servant was beneath him – as demanded by _noblesse oblige_.

"Very well…" Kayneth said, already turning away dismissively from his Servant and addressing Sola, who barely succeeded in pulling herself out of her fantasies before Kayneth could see her flushed appearance. "…let us go my dear Sola. We have to proceed to Fuyuki and thence claim the Holy Grail for the glory and pride of the House of Archibald."

* * *

"…Medea…" Tokiomi mused out loud as he sat in his study. For her part, Caster remained silent as she stood nearby.

"…by the power of the command spell…" Tokiomi said, raising his hand and watching as one of his command spells glowed and vanished. "…I command you to remain loyal to me in thought and deed for the duration of our partnership." Beneath her hood, Caster's eyes narrowed in anger as all of the plans she had been silently preparing in her mind went up in smoke. There was absolutely no way for her to turn against this man now that he had given such a command.

Well, that wasn't necessarily true. She could simply stab herself with Rule Breaker, but doing so would also break her connection with him and guarantee her demise in short order from prana deprivation. As such, that option would remain strictly as a method of last resort.

"Do not misunderstand me, Princess Medea of Colchis." Tokiomi said with a respectful and apologetic tone of voice. "I have the utmost respect for your knowledge and abilities as a magus from the Age of the Gods. However your reputation concerns me. As a magus it would not do for me to underestimate you. Indeed, doing so would be an insult to you, is it not?"

"…as you say, Master…" she said, giving a bow to mask her dark expression; she would just have to be patient, and wait for a chance to free her from his grasp.

* * *

"Seven heavens bound by three words of power…" Waver said, standing before a glowing summoning circle with the stolen catalyst lying in the middle of the circle. "…emerge from the circle of protection, keeper of balance!"

The circle flared brightly and then began to fade, causing a pang of disappointment to rush through Waver. And the then circle exploded, sending Waver tumbling back several feet.

"Ah, it feels good to breathe the free air once again." The newly-summoned Servant said with a satisfied tone. "You are my Master?" he asked, addressing Waver who by this point had gotten back to his feet and had summoned the courage (somehow) to edge closer back to his Servant.

"Y-yes…" he replied timidly. "I-I am Waver Velvet…"

The Servant laughed, then clapped a meaty hand down on Waver's shoulder, and causing the boy to flinch – the hand **was** heavy. "Waver huh…well you probably already know who I am, but I'll introduce myself all the same. My name Waver Velvet is Iskandar the King of Conquerors. My class is Rider, so you can call me that if you wish."

Waver blinked at the rather informal nature of the introduction…and then blinked some more as Rider pulled him closer and draped an arm around his shoulders. "Tell me Waver, what is your dream. Why do you fight in this Holy Grail War?"

"Well, to be honest I just want the Holy Grail so the other people in the Clock Tower would respect me." Waver said softly, clearly embarrassed that his wish was so petty in nature. Surprisingly enough, Rider just nodded in understanding. "It is a rather small wish…" the Servant noted, but without any hint of condemnation. "…but at least you have something to aspire to. Most people are like sheep you see, they just go along with what keeps them comfortable. I respect your small wish, but I hope that as we continue to fight alongside each other you would find something bigger to aspire to. Now then…tell me, do you happen to have copies of the Iliad and the Odyssey?" Waver blinked and said "Huh?"

* * *

"…most impressive…" Archer commented with approval, walking around as his Master set up her Workshop.

"…most magi would not deign to dirty their hands in menial labour, preferring to let their familiars to handle it…" the blonde continued to observe, looking through some of the items the magus had laid out on a long table. Blinking with curiosity, he picked one of them up and examined it closely. Smiling, he put it back down before examining the other items. All the while he continued to smile with approval; as a King from the Age of the Gods, he knew **quality **when he saw it. His Master was a talented craftswoman, there was no doubt about that, even more so since he could **feel **the joy the woman had when she accomplished her craft.

"…you are not really a magus, are you?" Archer asked, directing the question to the woman who had summoned him.

"I'm called a magus for the sake of convenience." Nanoha replied, shrugging as she did so. "Personally I don't consider myself as one. I'm more of a spell-caster to be honest. I'm just someone who uses the Art to get by in life."

"There is nothing wrong with that, and in fact I applaud you for making that choice." Archer agreed, and Nanoha blinked in surprise.

"You are a craftswoman, and a particularly skilled one at that…rather than pursuing a pointless goal like the other, lowly examples of your kin, I believe your choice – to make tangible, useful, and beautiful things with your craft – is something more worthy of the King's attention and approval."

* * *

Risei Kotomine looked down on the summoning circle on the ground which his son had used to summon a Servant of his own.

Officially the Holy Church was the neutral arbiter of the Holy Grail War. But that wasn't true at all. The Holy Church actually sought to use their connection with Tohsaka Clan to guide and promote a wish of their choosing to be granted by the Holy Grail.

And so to further their goals, Kirei would not only summon his own Servant but use it to support the Tohsaka effort in the war. In this way the chances of victory would be further increased.

And Kirei had summoned an Assassin.

Assassin's strong point was that he could spy out the operations of the other Masters with unsurpassed skill and efficiency. His bad point however, was that like Caster Assassin was not meant for direct combat. On the other hand, both Caster and Assassin made for a devastating pair that could rival the three knights if used properly.

The problem with that last part was that Tokiomi despite being a first class magus was a third rate tactician. One of his first acts in the war – meant to deceive the other Masters into thinking Assassin had fallen – was to have one of Assassin's incarnations attack the Tohsaka Estate, only for him to be struck down by Caster.

Risei knew better than to believe the ruse had worked completely. Neither the Magus Killer or Takamachi would be fooled nor would Kariya care; the only one the ruse would work on would probably be the Lord El-Melloi while Rider and his Master were an unknown variable.

Among those, the biggest threats were naturally the three knights, though the Lord El-Melloi's obtuse behaviour would probably reduce his Servant's effectiveness somewhat. Though it didn't change that among the Masters the Lord El-Melloi was the most powerful magus among them, and neither Risei nor his son were confident of their ally's chances should he confront the Lord El-Melloi.

Sabre was undoubtedly the most dangerous among the Servants, given her high stats alone. The Magus Killer was also very dangerous, with his dreaded combination of magecraft and technology. Their pairing was undoubtedly the most dangerous among the seven.

After that pair in the ranking were Archer and his Master. Qualitatively Archer was on par with Sabre, and his versatility made for a dangerous asset. Nanoha Takamachi despite being a first generation magus was a genius (and controversial) designer of mystic codes, so much so that only Zelretch's intervention kept her from receiving a sealing designation. They would bear watching.

Lancer and his Master was third overall.

Berserker was next, if only out of sheer power. Kariya's body was a wreck, and Risei doubted if the man would ever pose a serious threat on his own. Alongside Berserker though…Tokiomi should watch his back considering the hatred Kariya held for the magus.

Rider was an enigma.

Waver Velvet was rather mediocre as a magus, and of little threat. But his Servant exuded an air of power comparable to either Sabre or Archer, and with the Rider-class' reputation that could prove troublesome.

Caster was both useful and dangerous at the same time. As a magus from the Age of the Gods, her mastery of magecraft far surpassed that of any magus in the current era. Her ability to cast spells without actually casting them was quite terrifying in particular. She was also, however, the Princess Medea of Colchis. And her reputation was nothing if not clear evidence that she should **not **be trusted.

Still, she had proven herself useful. Her ability for long-distance viewing had allowed them to isolate the territories of the individual Masters. However not even Tokiomi was foolish enough to launch a frontal attack; powerful as she was and even with Assassin's support, Caster had not the durability for a line battle.

And there was Assassin. As a Servant Assassin was the weakest of them all. He didn't stand a chance against any of them in a straight fight. This was a deliberate feature of the Assassin-class, as they were actually meant to be used against the enemy Masters, not their Servants.

Assassin – or this incarnation of the Old Man in the Mountain – however had a particularly useful ability.

Assassin was a composite Servant. He could divide himself into multiple copies of himself, each with their own talents and physical appearance. This held great potential for misdirection, deception, and psychological attack. If Tokiomi had the wit to use it properly that is.

As his first move had clearly demonstrated, Tokiomi clearly did not have the grasp of tactics needed to maximize his son's Servant's abilities to their fullest.

What was more worrying was the witch Medea's reaction to Tokiomi's use of a command spell to restrain her and ensure her loyalty. Caster had accepted the act tacitly, but while Tokiomi was more than willing to accept her actions at face value, Risei was more than a little suspicious. If anything, her quiet behaviour was an indication that she was plotting against Tokiomi. The Overseer wouldn't put it past her to find a way to go around Tokiomi's restrictions.

Risei had already asked Kirei to keep an eye on Tokiomi's back. As a former Executor, Kirei should be able to hold out long enough for the magus to use his second command spell to regain control of Caster. If worse came to worse, Tokiomi would have to order her to kill herself prematurely, although this would necessitate careful manipulation of the other Masters to ensure their plan's success.

Risei sighed as he turned away from the summoning circle; the war had only just begun, and things were already so complicated.

* * *

Sabre was – impossibly enough – feeling a migraine coming on.

The night had started well enough, at least until they had come across Lancer while taking a stroll – being bait really – through a manufacturing block. Even then it hadn't been so bad.

For one thing Lancer was a skilled opponent, worthy of his class and a serious challenge for her. But above all else Lancer was a noble and honourable warrior, a knight in his own right.

And then a chariot drawn by a pair of bulls and flying on bolts of lightning had come down from the sky right in the middle of the battlefield. It was a Noble Phantasm…in the form of a chariot driven by a giant in ancient armour. "Lay down your arms and hearken!" the newly-arrived Servant – Rider it seemed – loudly declared. "The King has arrived!"

Lancer and Sabre blinked then looked at each other, and while they didn't lower their guard neither did they move to attack the newly-arrived Servant. Rider had apparently intervened to end the fighting because he had something to say, and all were curious to hear it.

"I am Iskandar the King of Conquerors…" Rider proudly proclaimed, causing both Servants' mouths to drop open in shock. "…and I have come to fight in this Fourth Holy Grail War with the class of Rider!"

"W-w-w-what are you doing, Rider?" Waver stammered out in shock, only to be sent tumbling back down to the chariot floor by a flick to the forehead.

"We all fight to obtain the Holy Grail because we all have wishes we desire…but let me ask you this: what wish is there that is greater than the wish to conquer all of creation?" Rider continued to declaim, as though he had never been interrupted. "As it seems to me that no wish is greater than this, I ask you to surrender your desire for the Holy Grail, and allow me to claim it. If you do so, then I shall consider you as trusted friends and allies, and together we shall ride to the ends of creation itself! What say you, my fellow heroes?"

"You interrupted our battle for this nonsense?" Lancer said, outraged by the very idea. "I have the utmost respect for you King of Conquerors, but I am already sworn to the service of another lord, and it is to him and to him alone that I must surrender the Holy Grail."

"Furthermore…" Sabre interjected, no more amused than Lancer was. "…I am the rightful King of Britain, and as such cannot simply be reduced to a retainer of another."

"Oh…" Rider said with interest evident on his face. "…I never expected the King of Knights to be such a young girl."

Sabre grimaced, a vein throbbing on one of her temples. "…young girl…why don't I show what this young girl can do?"

Rider sighed and looked weary. "I'm willing to negotiate…"

"…**DENIED!**" both Lancer and Sabre shouted at the same time.

Rider sighed again and rubbed his head in irritation. "I hate it when negotiations break down…"

Waver had by this point managed to stand up and see the irritated pair of Servants before him. "R-R-Rider…what do we do now?" he whined, terrified at the sight before him. Hidden high above the battlefield, Kayneth spotted Waver and realized it was him who had stolen his catalyst. But just as he cast a spell to address his wayward – and soon to be painfully chastised student – rockets began to fly up into the sky and explode in brilliant and beautiful flowers of fire.

"What the…" Maiya Hisau said, shocked at the sight.

"…Chinese New Year came early it seems…" Kiritsugu said deadpan.

Meanwhile a translucent stairway had materialized leading up to the top of the building opposite Kayneth, flanked by illusionary men, women, and children in Mesopotamian attire all cheering and waving in anticipation, while music that wouldn't be out of place in a victory parade in ancient times began to play. Flower petals – real flower petals – began to fall and the cheers grew louder as another Servant appeared and made his way down the stairway, grinning and basking in the adulation with his arms held wide.

"**PRAISE HIS NAME!**" an invisible herald proclaimed loudly as fireworks continued to explode overhead. "**WITNESS AND BE BATHED IN THE GLORY OF THE KING AS HE DESCENDS FROM ON HIGH! PRAISE HIS NAME!**"

Lancer looked sick at the sight, while Sabre hid her face in one hand out of sheer embarrassment. Waver's mouth had fallen open, while Irisviel was blushing deeply and clearly struggling not to laugh. Rider on the other hand, was watching with excitement. The newly-arrived Servant was blonde and wore ancient Sumerian armour that exposed his very muscular chest – even Sabre found herself blushing both at the sight and at the sheer aura of the man – with a pair of blades nearly as long as he was tall holstered behind his shoulders. "I sincerely doubt that is either Assassin or Caster." Kiritsugu noted.

"…Archer then?" Maiya asked.

"…possibly…I wonder what he wants though."

"We'll find out soon enough. I must say though, with Rider and now Archer, this war sure has its share of eccentric characters."

* * *

A/N

Gilgamesh seems different…no, I'm not drunk…he's Fate/Prototype Archer. This Archer isn't as much of a jerk as his counterpart is, though he's still somewhat self-centred. With Archer an incomplete character, he'll probably be portrayed with a similar persona as Iskandar (similar but not identical). Then again, Gil and Rider were both very similar to begin with in canon.

Nanoha is Nanoha, though her abilities will be tweaked a bit (and will incorporate other characters' spells). And see those two blades behind Archer…yes, it means Enki has been deployed. No spoilers, but if you know about Fate/Prototype, then you probably know what Gil can do in seven days' time.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do not own any characters, names, and any copyrighted material used in this work. This is a fanfic, period. Everything belongs to their respective owners. Comments and constructive criticism are all very much appreciated.

The King's Festival

Chapter 2

"That was quite an entrance." Rider commented, grinning appreciatively and warmly clapping his hands as Archer approached.

"It's all flattery really…" Archer noted, brushing petals off of his arm. "…they're all just illusions, but it seems that my newest retainer understands that a King arrives with appropriate grandeur."

"Oh I quite agree."

"Of course you do…" Archer said with a matching smirk. "…your entrance was quite grand to say the least; a bull-drawn chariot coming down from the sky on wings of light…not bad at all, King of Conquerors."

"I'm honoured by your praise…" Rider conceded. "…but you said you were a King were you not?"

"Indeed…" Archer replied, before turning to a redheaded woman in business attire – a bit modern for most magi, but not too modern as to be considered inappropriate – who appeared almost out of nowhere and now stood to the side. "…well done Takamachi. The flower petals surprised me, but the illusions and the fireworks were all done appropriately." Nanoha just bowed in response, before giving polite nods to the other Servants and Masters.

"You claim to be a King…" Sabre said with narrowed eyes. "…and claim the grandeur of one, yet you do not tell us who you are. Who are you?"

"Insolent…!" Archer snarled, while Rider grimaced at Sabre's lack of tact. It seemed his interruption of her duel with Lancer, along with her less than positive reaction to his offer had pushed her tolerance to its limit. The arrival of this King of ancient times just seemed to further incense her. "Such behaviour would have warranted your head on the block, woman! But alas, it seems that I must suffer your ignorance for now. The world has become dull and grey, and while my name and deeds have not and shall never be forgotten, my appearance has been lost to this forsaken era. Retainer, enlighten these ignorant fools as to who stands before them."

"As you wish, my King…" Nanoha replied, turning to the other Servants with a smug smirk. "…in the most ancient era when the world was one, who was it that sat on the Throne of Men?"

"The most ancient era when the world was still united…?" Lancer echoed before his and the others' eyes widened in shock. "It can't be…!"

"Precisely…" Nanoha continued, holding out her arm towards the smiling Archer. "…Archer's true identity is that of Mankind's first and greatest King! The King of Heroes of Ancient Uruk: Gilgamesh!"

"…the King of Heroes!" Irisviel echoed, shrinking back in horror even as Waver collapsed onto the chariot's floor in fear of this greatest of heroes that now stood before them. Lancer immediately went on guard, as did Sabre. Assassin continued to view the battle from a safe distance, as did the other Masters.

* * *

"_Archer's identity has been revealed, my master._"Kirei telepathically reported to Tokiomi. "_It would seem that Takamachi understandably has no fear of exposing her Servant's true identity, considering who he really is._"

* * *

"The King of Heroes…" Kayneth ground out with his fists clenched in anger and frustration. "…damn that upstart Takamachi!"

* * *

Rider however, just laughed in amusement. "This is truly an honour!" he burst out. "The great legend of the Cradle of Civilization standing before us; what say you to my offer, King of Heroes? Undoubtedly between the two of us not even the gods can stand in our way!"

"Unfortunately I must decline your offer." Archer said, closing his eyes briefly. "I have no interest in this dull world, or for that matter, that pathetic cup called the Holy Grail."

"What?" Rider said, echoed by Sabre and Lancer with equal shock and surprise.

"Is your Servant serious, Takamachi?" Irisviel demanded from Nanoha, who shrugged before giving a reply.

"The King has his own designs, and he has managed to convince me of his cause."

"Then what is the point of coming here, King of Heroes?" Sabre demanded. "Why do you participate in this contest if you have no desire for the Holy Grail?"

"You really are quite insolent you know that, Altria Pendragon?" Archer said, looking at her appraisingly. "It will be quite a marvel if you find a man for yourself at this rate."

"What was that?" Sabre hissed, flushing at the insinuation while Rider broke out laughing.

"Oh feisty…" Archer continued, grinning widely now. "…I like that." Rider laughed harder and this time even Irisviel could barely supress a giggle, causing Sabre to look at her with a betrayed expression.

"But enough jokes…" Archer said, closing his eyes for a moment. As he opened, a wave of force blasted outwards from him, stunning the Masters present with the sheer presence of the King of Heroes. It was as if time had stopped, the air turning to liquid and flowing like thick honey around them, constricting their movements and striking fear into their hearts as though the King's blood-red eyes were looking upon them in judgment. Even the Servants were affected, forced to exert themselves to throw a compulsion to kneel before their King, and even the King of Knights was shocked at the pressure exerted on her spirit by the King of Heroes. All save for Rider, a being as absolute and immovable as the one standing before him, looking on with a measuring gaze.

"…this little contest presents a grand opportunity, one even the so-called miraculous power of the Grail pales in comparison to. I am quite displeased that such an opportunity did not present itself in my time, where it would have been met with the appropriate response; games, races, and bazaars in the day, and feasting and dancing at night along the banks of the Tigris and the Euphrates. But alas there is no point in lamenting what has not come to pass; indeed, the time spent in doing so would be better off spent doing something about the future!"

"What do you have in mind, King of Heroes?" Rider asked, and Archer smirked in response, the air lightening and allowing the Masters to breathe in relief.

"Here and now stand seven of the mightiest heroes in the world. And so do I decree, as the King of Heroes, that this war shall be a grand festival, wherein all who partake, be they Servant or Master, shall fight their fullest to prove themselves worthy of the rank, honour, and status of Heroic Spirits!"

"A festival, huh…" Rider said stroking his chin thoughtfully and like Archer before him closed his eyes briefly. When he opened them another wave of force blasted out, leaving afterimages behind it of great warriors – be they Greek, Macedonian, Egyptian, Babylonian, Persian, Indian – standing by their King, the moonlight glinting off their spears. Archer's eyes widened in surprise, and then narrowed in satisfaction at the sight. "…I accept your challenge, King of Heroes." Rider said confidently. "But know that my offer still stands, and should you ever wish to stand by my side as a friend, my hand is always extended to you."

"I appreciate the sentiment, King of Conquerors." Archer said eagerly. "It will be an honour and a pleasure to face you on the field of battle."

All of a sudden his expression soured, and he looked up and to the side, Nanoha and the others doing likewise as space itself seemed to twist around a central point before collapsing, a woman materializing out of nowhere as she floated in the air and looked down at the gathered Servants and Masters below her.

* * *

"_Master, Caster has revealed herself._" Kirei reported, causing Tokiomi to narrow his eyes in displeasure at his Servant's impetuous move.

* * *

"Greetings King of Heroes…" Caster said in her usual sultry tone that caused one of the King's eyebrows to arch up in curiosity. "…I am the Princess Medea of Colchis, the Servant Caster of the Fourth Holy Grail War."

"Medea…!" Rider said in alarm, a hand going to his sword in an instant, placing himself protectively before Waver.

"…witch!" Sabre shouted, causing the older woman to give her a glare.

"Enough…!" Archer barked, his note of command silencing the battlefield. "I am well aware of the princess' reputation, but I also understand the reasoning behind her actions. Yes, I understand better than most. I will hear her petition. Speak freely, Princess Medea, and fear not the malicious whispers of those who know not what it is like to be toyed with by uncaring and heartless deities."

"I am honoured by your mercy and goodwill your Majesty." Caster said with a bow. "I have come to acknowledge your presence, as well as to accept your challenge to prove myself worthy of my station."

Archer smiled with approval. "Very well Caster; I will see if you can prove that you aren't a maggot like most magi usually are."

* * *

"Go, Berserker…" the whispered command echoed unheard in a nearby alley.

* * *

All eyes turned to a corner of the manufacturing block as a giant encased in black plate appeared and glared at the floating witch overhead. "Hey Waver…" Rider asked, warily eyeing the silent black giant. "…can you tell me anything about that?"

"I-I-I can't see anything." Waver stammered out in reply while looking at Berserker and fighting down his terror simultaneously. "It's like there's something shrouding him."

Berserker roared, stamping down with a foot and sending massive chunks of stone up around him…and with powerful blows of his fists, send the stony fragments – imbued with his prana in the form of glowing, sickly veins of red – towards Caster who immediately deployed a shield with a snarled curse. The stone missiles exploded against her shield, the resulting clouds of debris blocking out the sight of Berserker tearing a streetlight off the street and carrying it like a sword, jumping high onto a nearby building and attempted to engage Caster in melee.

"So that's what he does." Rider said, nodding in satisfaction. "Anything he gets hold off that can be used as a weapon he can turn it into a makeshift Noble Phantasm. It's an interesting ability, especially for a Berserker."

"There has to be a limitation to it though." Nanoha interjected. "Certain Noble Phantasms are unique to certain Servants, and as such his ability should not be able to overwrite their concepts of ownership and usage."

"It's a travesty…" Archer noted in disgust, watching as Caster bombarded Berserker – to little effect – with a barrage of purple beams. "…the Berserker-class offends me. The architects of this little war should consider themselves fortunate that they are dead, lest they suffer my…displeasure. To make a great hero lose his sanity for additional power…it is an outrage."

Archer's eyes flickered over to Nanoha. "Tell me Takamachi, do you have any further insights to offer?"

"I surmise that Berserker's Master is from either the Matou or Tohsaka Clans." She replied after several moments of thought.

"How'd you get that idea?" Waver ventured and Nanoha shrugged.

"Von Einzbern commands the Sabre-class, and you command the Rider-class, Mr Velvet." She said, looking at him slyly. "Oh and by the way, seeing as you did steal the Lord El-Melloi's catalyst, let me warn you: he's very angry with you. I'd be careful if I were you…seeing as he is Lancer's Master."

"You talk too much, Takamachi." Kayneth snarled from the shadows. "Know your place, just because you're Zelretch's pet doesn't mean you can be so casual about the lords of the Association. But you are essentially correct; Waver Velvet, it seems that you aren't as much of a failure as I thought you were, stealing my catalyst and then summoning a Servant. Prepare yourself, as I shall see fit to test your mettle in the near future."

Nanoha rolled her eyes at Kayneth's bombastic proclamations while Waver cowered in fear at his instructor's wrath. Rider smiled indulgently and placed a comforting hand on Waver's shoulder. "Stand up, Waver." He told Waver reassuringly. "You ride with the King of Conquerors, and so you have nothing to fear."

Nanoha looked on with a raised eyebrow, seeing a new side of Alexander the Great and understanding a little bit more of the man who once conquered the world. Meanwhile Berserker finally managed to catch Caster off guard, smashing through her shield and crushing her torso, only for 'Caster' to shatter like glass. As Berserker grunted in surprise, Caster's illusion spell dispelled and she appeared behind Berserker with both hands deploying a magic circle that fired a powerful beam that sent Berserker flying back down and collapsing an entire building on top of the Servant, causing everyone present to shield themselves from flying debris.

"I must apologize your Majesty…" Caster said apologetically to Archer. "…it seems that my Master summons me back to his side. Unfortunately, Tokiomi Tohsaka is a rather dull man, and has me restrained by a command spell. I can only hope and persevere that I get my chance to prove myself to you when the time comes."

"Enough…" Archer said, waving off her concerns with a hand. "…if you must go, then go."

As Caster left, even more debris erupted from the collapsed building as Berserker tore himself free from the rubble. Everyone present looked at him warily as he eyed them silently. Finally his eyes fixed on Sabre, and then with a roar Berserker grabbed a steel beam and flung it at her. Sabre blocked the attack, but the beam exploded with all the force of a low-level Broken Phantasm, sending her flying and allowing Berserker to close with another beam in his hand and immediately began to press the King of Knights hard.

"Lancer, what are you doing?" Kayneth asked. "Move to assist Berserker and finish Sabre immediately."

"But my lord…" Lancer protested as Archer and Rider narrowed their eyes. "…doing so would dishonour the King of Knights! She is a skilled swordsman and a noble warrior befitting to die an honourable death in single combat!"

"Did you not hear me, Lancer? I ordered you to kill her!"

"Please my lord, I beg you to reconsider!"

"Lancer…" Kayneth growled. "…by the power of the command spell…"

Before Kayneth could finish his sentence, Archer reached over his shoulders and drew Enki's twin blades before charging. The two golden swords were held low and trailed behind the King, sending sparks flying as they tore parallel grooves through the ground. Lancer brought up Gae Buidhe and Gae Dearg in time, parrying the King's strike with enough force to send out a shockwave with enough power to shatter nearby windows and sending both Nanoha and Irisviel – Waver shielded by Rider's body from the blast – tumbling back to the ground.

"Surprise attacks aren't really my style…" Archer said while Enki's twin blades locked with Gae Buidhe and Gae Dearg. "…but I can't let you in on the King of Knight's battle. After all, where's the glory in that?"

"You have my thanks, King of Heroes." Lancer whispered while springing back. Archer reset his blades, and smiled.

"Now then, Knight of the Lance…" the King of Heroes issued his challenge. "…prove yourself to the King of Heroes himself!"

Archer leapt into the offensive, expertly swinging Enki in broad and powerful arcs and forcing Lancer onto the defensive. A kick to the midsection sent the Lancer flying through a nearby building, which collapsed even as Archer bounded over the rubble. "…Bab-ilu!" he shouted, ten glowing orbs appearing around him and firing off a barrage of swords flying around in complex patterns before moving to attack Lancer as he recovered. Smirking at the unexpected challenge, Lancer deflected the flying blades, with expert swings of his spears. Archer moved to attack, supported by his swords, but Lancer had now gotten the measure of the King, defending and attacking in equal measure. Archer smirked as the battle grew even – finally, he could have the fun he had been looking for.

* * *

"This is a battle between heroes…" Maiya whispered in awe as she and Kiritsugu watched the battles between Sabre, Berserker, Archer, and Lancer from a safe distance. The battle between Sabre and Berserker was horribly lopsided in Berserker's favour, the giant's sheer strength and his surprising skill (for a Berserker) overpowering the petite girl, however the battle between Lancer and Archer was an entirely different matter, gold, red, and silver flashing through the air as swords and spears swung and flew between two blurs, one gold, the other blue. "…I can barely see anything at all…"

"Rider hasn't made a move yet…why?" Kiritsugu wondered while keeping an eye on the King of Conquerors who was watching as four Heroic Spirits tore at each other. Or rather, Berserker tore into Sabre, whereas Archer and Lancer were more or less even.

* * *

"…looks like Archer is having fun." Nanoha observed as she picked herself up off of the ground. "I guess I might as well join in."

"What are you…?" Waver piped up but fell silent as Nanoha raised an arm, noticing the pentacle hanging from a bracelet around her wrist.

"Sternenkreuz…" Nanoha said with her face set with determination. "…einrichten." There was a flash of light, and the bracelet had disappeared, replaced by a halberd held in the Japanese magus' hand.

"Sternenkreuz…" an automated voice reported from the weapon. "…bereit."

"…barriere jacke einrichten."

A second flash of light, and Nanoha now wore something that wouldn't be out of place from the trenches of WWI: a dark-grey trench-coat with shoulder straps and breast pockets belted over trousers of the same colour, black boots, a peaked cap, and an officer's greatcoat. "…barriere jacke bereit."

Nanoha closed her eyes, telepathically linked to Sternenkreuz' auto-targeting system. "_Heat sources designated…prana hotspots designated…filtering…analysing target data…probability seventy-three percent…_"

With a burst of displaced air, Nanoha flew up to the sky until she had a bird's eye view of the battlefield. "…plasma lanzen, volkermord modus."

At her command, bright yellow beams of energy materialized around her, blotting out the night sky. "By the Root…!" Irisviel gasped in shock at the sight.

"…no…no way…" Waver whispered in awe.

"This scale…but how…she should be burning through her reserves at this rate…so how…" Kayneth blabbed, his eyes bulging in shock. "…fervor, mei sanguis!"

Nanoha swung Sternenkreuz, unleashing a plasma bombardment on Kayneth's general area that levelled three adjacent manufacturing blocks. "Warnung…" Sternenkreuz warned its master. "…primarsystem uberlastung."

"…sekundarsystem wechseln." Nanoha responded.

"…verstanden."

"Let's wrap this up..." Nanoha said, taking Sternenkreuz into a two-handed grip and aiming at the ruins of her earlier bombardment. "…gottlich brecher."

"…gottlich brecher, bereitschaft." Sternenkreuz responded, a sphere of energy building at the spearhead's tip.

"**GOTTLICH BRECHER!**" Nanoha shouted, the energy beam setting off a massive explosion that sent debris flying.

* * *

"**IRI…!**" Kiritsugu shouted as one of his command spells vanished and forced Sabre to twist space-time to shield Irisviel with her body. Even then the force of the blast sent them both tumbling several feet.

* * *

"What the hell…" Rider said, lowering his arms and opening his eyes as the blast faded away. Even he had been forced to brace himself in his chariot. "…if I didn't know better that girl from earlier could have been a Servant…huh?" Rider broke off as he nearly stepped on Waver's comatose form, the young man having a frozen look of terror on his face. "Really now…I do wish he'd grow a backbone be it sooner or later…well I suppose Rome wasn't built in a day."

* * *

"Warnung…" Sternenkreuz reported as Nanoha began to lose altitude and her barrier jacket began to destabilize. "…systemausfall."

"Initialisieren notfallsystem…" she barked. "…prioritat barriere jacke und flugsysteme!"

"Initialisierung…" Sternenkreuz acknowledged and Nanoha stabilized in mid-air, causing the young woman to sigh with relief.

* * *

"My lord…!" Lancer shouted, jumping back away from Archer, who smiled at the devastation in the distance.

"Well then Lancer, it seems your Master has fled. Perhaps we should retire for the night…or would you prefer to continue?"

Lancer grimaced, and then relaxed. "Very well, King of Heroes. It seems that your Master has defeated my own…I acknowledge your victory tonight."

Archer's smirk widened as Lancer vanished into spiritual form, and then he frowned at a distant explosion. "Sabre and Berserker are still at it, I see." He commented, before smiling at the distant star-like glimmer in the sky. Or rather two glimmering stars: Enki and Nanoha. "Well done, child." Archer congratulated her. "It seems I wasn't mistaken about you."

* * *

A/N

Sternenkreuz einrichten – Star Cross setup

Sternenkreuz bereit – Star Cross ready

Barriere jacke einrichten – Barrier Jacket setup

Barriere jacke bereit – Barrier Jacket ready

Plasma lanzen, volkermord modus – Plasma Lances Genocide Mode

Warnung: primarsystem uberlastung – Warning: primary system overload

Sekundarsystem wechseln – Switch to secondary system

Verstanden – Understood

Gottlich brecher – Divine Breaker

Gottlich brecher, bereitschaft – Divine Breaker, standby

Warnung: systemausfall – Warning: system failure

Initialisieren notfallsystem prioritat barriere jacke und flugsysteme – Initialize emergency system priority to barrier jacket and flight systems

Initialisierung – Initializing

Now before any of you start barking out that Nasu-verse doesn't work like this…actually anything can happen, so long as you can figure out which concepts to use. I'm not going to spoil, but there's a reason Zelretch keeps Nanoha around. Star Cross (Sternenkreuz) is Nanoha's device/mystic code; it's a halberd with a metal shaft and a blue-white hard-light (yes: **HARD-LIGHT) **spearhead and axe blade.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I do not own any characters, names, and any copyrighted material used in this work. This is a fanfic, period. Everything belongs to their respective owners. Comments and constructive criticism are all very much appreciated.

The King's Festival

Chapter 3

With a roar Berserker swung the steel beam down, the once pristine metal now black and shot through with sickly red veins. Grinding her teeth in frustration, Sabre raised her sword to block, the impact between the two weapons sending out a powerful shock wave with a resounding boom. The two Servants strove against each other, brilliant streams of prana freely surging from where their weapons met. Finally, with a cry of defiance Sabre pushed Berserker back, and as the black giant staggered back several steps Sabre leaped forward to attack with the wind surging around her. Berserker attempted to parry with his makeshift weapon, only for it to explode with all the force of a Broken Phantasm as it met his opponent's weapon, sending both of them flying in opposite directions.

Coughing up blood, Sabre pulled herself out of the rubble of a wrecked warehouse several metres from where she had been standing. Virtually the entire district had been levelled in the fight between the four Servants – Rider apparently having no desire to join the battle at this point in time – but an eerie calm had descended over the battlefield as it seemed that Berserker had retreated. "_Did I get him? Or did he just retreat?_" Sabre thought to herself. "_Still, even if he runs, it's all for the best. As should be expected from the Berserker-class…_"

Sabre's musings were shattered when a pile of rubble in the distance exploded as Berserker jumped upwards, holding another beam in his hand. "…damnation…" she cursed, rising to her feet as wind and prana surged around her, rebuilding her armour. Berserker quickly closed the distance, and Sabre took her stance, steady and stalwart as a stone cliff against the waves…when a sword flew out of the side and struck Berserker's makeshift weapon, the corrupted metal exploding on impact. Berserker quickly jumped out of the debris cloud, Archer's flying swords swarming down on him.

Without batting an eyelid, Berserker grabbed the first two swords to fly towards him, the metal blackening as he swung them expertly and parried the other flying weapons. "You have nerve…" Archer commented as he approached, his feet crunching on the rubble strewn along the ground, Enki's blades held low. "…to actually lay your hands on the King's treasures and use them against him. Still, I must make allowances due to your insanity. But enough; it seems that our little festival has drawn the attention of the ignorant masses. Retire Berserker; as much as it pains me to turn my back on this battlefield, the rules of this pathetic little selection for the holder of that tinsel cup dictate that we must remain in the shadows."

Berserker glowered silently at Archer for a few moments, the two corrupted swords in his hands…and then with a roar of insane fury charged. Growling in displeasure, Archer raised Enki as Bab-ilu glowed around him…and with a thunder of hooves and lightning the King of Conquerors charged Berserker from the side, trampling him beneath the hooves of his mighty bulls and the glorious chariot they drew, the fallen Servant tumbling through the rubble behind him. "Master of Berserker…" Rider shouted into the night. "…the night grows old, and we've caught the attention of those who should not be pulled into this battle. Retire, and withdraw your Servant from the battlefield. Should you choose to spurn this offer to withdraw from the field gracefully, then I shall join Archer and Sabre in crushing your Servant! Answer swiftly!"

For several moments there was silence, Berserker shakily getting up on all fours. Finally, the insane Servant vanished with a shimmer of prana. "The carrot and the stick…?" Archer commented with amusement as he sheathed his swords behind him. "You have class King of Conquerors."

"…you really think so?" Rider replied with a grin. "It's just basic diplomacy."

"Ha…!" Archer scoffed. "Between this and that earlier demonstration of your spirit, I can see how you conquered the world in life." The King of Heroes now turned to the Knight of the Sword. "Are you alright Sabre?"

"Somehow…" she replied, relaxing a bit before giving a small bow of thanks. "…furthermore, I too would like to add my thanks to Lancer's own."

"Oh…?"

"Lancer…is a skilled warrior and an honourable knight in his own right. To have such a Master…one who does not understand how true heroes fight and die…thank you for preserving the purity of our battle."

"You give me too much credit…" Archer scoffed. "…I am the King of Heroes. Heroes fight and die with glory, for that is what I have decreed."

"I see." Sabre said with an understanding smile. "Then I shall take my leave, King of Heroes."

"What about you, King of Conquerors?" Archer asked Rider as Sabre strode off to meet her Master. "Will you take your leave as well?"

"It's not like I have much of a choice…" Rider said with an indulgent smile as he hoisted a comatose Waver over a shoulder. "…he's got promise, but he still has much to learn."

"That he does…" Archer concurred with a chuckle. "…ah, it seems that we are fortunate in being dealt with such understanding Masters. Takamachi is a craftswoman of skill and talent that this dull age is unworthy of, although she too still has much to learn. That boy of yours seems to be a weakling and a fool, and yet I sense something greater within him."

"All too true…" Rider agreed with a nod. "…but what are kings and heroes for if not to inspire those that follow and stand by them?"

"…until next time then, King of Conquerors…" Archer said, walking away from the Macedonian; moments later he heard the bulls climbing up to the sky even as Nanoha floated down before him and reverted to her normal appearance. "…well done Takamachi."

"My thanks, your Majesty…" She said. "…but I allowed the enemy Master to escape."

"True…" Archer noted. "…but you still did well considering. How's your weapon?"

Nanoha held up her arm and grimaced at Sternenkreuz' appearance. Three of the pentacle's spokes had melted away, while a fourth was barely hanging on. "It's been badly damaged. It appears I need to further work on my devices…"

"There's no need to feel saddened by this Takamachi." Archer told her. "True art and craft takes time and effort to accomplish. You've come this far. Don't stop now. Press forward, learn from your mistakes, and surpass them. Now let us go, for the night grows old and I wish to retire."

* * *

"Why did you expose yourself to the enemy?" Tokiomi asked softly, his impassive features giving no hint as to his frustration that Caster had not only gone to the front lines – unthinkable for one of her class – but had also revealed her true identity.

"There was no further point in secrecy." The robed woman replied. "All the other Servants save Berserker have had their identities exposed, and with the exception of Assassin and Lancer, all are beyond my level to confront without extensive preparation beforehand. Keeping my identity secret would have been counter-productive."

"And you think exposing yourself would serve our purposes better?" Tokiomi pressed.

"…yes." Caster replied, causing Tokiomi to blink in surprise. That was an unexpected answer.

"…explain."

"With my identity as the…Witch of Betrayal exposed…" Caster explained, inwardly grimacing at the unflattering title given to her. "…all the other Masters and Servants will be on guard against us. There are precious few who have the skill in Thaumaturgy to match me, and my reputation will further serve as a deterrent against further confrontation."

"And what's to stop them from uniting against us?"

"…the King of Heroes." Caster answered with a shrug. "You Humans can't understand, but Gilgamesh of Uruk has an Authority similar to that of a Divine Spirit over us. He can't take control of us, but he can and has imposed a directive on us to fight amongst ourselves in this contest. Apparently he wishes to see with his own eyes our right to call ourselves as Heroic Spirits. The sole exception to this is Rider, who Archer sees as worthy to not just hold the title of Heroic Spirit, but that of a King in his own right. But you need not worry; while Rider still holds out a hand of friendship to Archer, the two are set on a path of confronting each other in the future."

"It seems to me that you have an answer for all my questions." Tokiomi noted wryly before closing his eyes briefly. "Very well; I shall suffer your impudent actions this time. But any further deviations from my designs shall lead to punishment. Am I understood?"

"…transparently…" Caster ground out with a bow, and Tokiomi waved her away, the woman striding out of his Workshop fuming.

* * *

Light filled the kitchen along with a soft humming sound mixed with the staccato rhythm of a steel knife chopping away at spring onions. Whistling tunelessly to herself, Nanoha eased the freshly-chopped vegetables into the merrily boiling soup in the pot over the stove. Sternenkreuz was off undergoing repair protocols, though Archer had wandered off after losing his head over her explanations regarding ten-dimension metaphysical theory and its applications in Thaumaturgy. As it was, after identifying the damage to Sternenkreuz and formulating several hypothetical solutions to the combat problems currently suffered by the design – which had been set aside for further study later on – she had left Sternenkreuz to initiate repair protocols while she went off to satisfy her hunger. The idea of hot soup had sounded really tempting, and here she was standing before the stove while her late dinner simmered in a covered pot.

Archer's reaction was a rather standard one even among her fellow magi, who usually studied seven-dimension metaphysical theory as eight and higher dimension metaphysics were delving impossibly close to the level of True Magic and reality marbles and as such were vastly difficult to comprehend. To be honest, five and six dimension metaphysics were already related to the Second Magic, which had led to whispers of her being given a sealing designation. Only Zelretch's intervention and a short but comprehensive investigation by Lorelei herself had spared her from such a fate.

Which wasn't necessarily a good thing either; after the investigation Nanoha had found herself catching the eye of Lorelei more than once – and the look the older woman gave was rather…disturbing. It wasn't a threatening or dismissive glance like she usually gave, but more neutral. It was as if Lorelei was wondering what to make of her, and that made the younger woman nervous. If the Queen of the Clock Tower found out her secret, she'd never get a moment's rest, as she'd be dragged into the byzantine politics of the Association to say nothing of the vicious deadlock with the Holy Church and the Twenty-Seven Dead Apostle Ancestors.

Nanoha opened the pot and stirred the soup before using a spoon to taste it. Nodding with approval, she stirred the soup again before covering the pot and letting it simmer some more. For a moment, she briefly wondered about her Servant. Archer was a rather wild Servant, completely unlike anything she had expected. From what she knew about his legend, she had expected someone with an ego even bigger than the size of the universe itself, and with an attitude that basically summed up as 'It's all about me!' But the reality was different. Gilgamesh was arrogant and self-centred in his own way, but Nanoha could see what made him the King of Heroes. He had a strong sense of honour apparently tied to an unspoken code as demonstrated by his prevention of Lancer being dishonoured by being forced to double-team Sabre, and his apparent fairness to Caster – Medea herself – showed that for all his vices as demonstrated in life – apparently the man had a tendency to live grandly, which she could attest to just by looking at his gilded armour – he was for all that a true hero – the archetype for all heroes that would come after – and a fair and just king that laid down the original laws of Human civilization.

"_Oh well…_" she reasoned to herself as she turned off the stove and served herself something to eat. "_...I suppose I should trust him to be subtle when he's on his own. After all, he is the King of Heroes. What's the worst that can happen?_"

* * *

"Was there something you wanted, Kirei?" Caster asked as the priest stepped into her Workshop.

"I have something I wanted to ask you." The priest replied, and the woman before him raised an eyebrow in surprise.

"That's rather surprising…" she commented. "…what would a man of God like you want to know from a…heretic, no a heathen witch like me?"

Kirei was silent for a long while, thinking and remembering the legend and reputation of the one standing before him. Despite all he knew, there was something about her that told him that she might have some answers to the question that had plagued him all his life. "…how?" he finally asked even as Caster began to fume at the stoic and silent priest before her.

"What do you mean how?"

"How can you live knowing all that you've done?" Kirei clarified while looking at woman straight in the eyes. "How do you find meaning in your existence when everything about it is all lies and deceit, treachery and manipulation, despair and death?"

Caster looked askance at the man standing before her. Her first thought was that the priest was mocking her, trying to goad a reaction out of her for some sick reason, but his eyes…they were empty…no, that was wrong. They weren't empty. They were…searching for something, something that would vindicate the man they belonged to, given him answers to the questions which haunted his very existence.

"Why do you ask?" she asked in response.

"…because I don't know what I am." Kirei whispered in reply. "I find no joy in my life, no meaning in my day to day activity. When I joined the Church, I had hoped that faith in God would give me something to believe in living for…but that gave me nothing as well. My wife bore me a child, and even took her own life in the hopes that I would realize that I had something…but the only thing I felt was…disappointment. I don't understand…what am I? Who am I? Just what was I born to be and do?"

Caster looked on, and briefly considered if this apparent psychological issue was a means by which to twist the situation to her benefit. But then the words of the King of Heroes ghosted through her mind. "_…worthy of the rank, honour, and status of Heroic Spirits…prove that you aren't a maggot like most magi are…_" It took a conscious effort on her part, but in the end she made her choice. It went against everything she had learned to do in her life, twisted as it was by the manipulations of the uncaring gods of Olympus, but she decided that at least once she would deny her ordained fate of being a treacherous witch and prove herself worthy of one held in the same vein as the greatest of Humanity's champions.

"…such questions are not simple ones, and naturally have no simple answers to them." She finally replied, then held up a hand to forestall the priest before he could leave, his eyes marked with disappointment. "But I can tell you this at least: feel free to do what you want. But also remember that every action has consequences. And we must all make account of our deeds when the time comes. That is all I can answer you with…take my history as an example. You know as well as I do that I had my reasons for doing what I did, and how despite all that my actions still led to my destruction. Now go…"

* * *

"…fill…fill…fill…huh?" the serial killer asked as he stood in the living room of a house. The TV was on, displaying a romantic movie apparently being watched by the pair sitting on the couch behind Uryuu Ryuunosuke. That is, if they weren't already dead, their bodies positioned in a disturbing parody of attention, their blood – the same blood dripping down their faces and soaking their clothes – used to daub a sloppy summoning circle onto the ground. "The book said to say it five times…how many times did that make? Oh well, I might as well start over."

A whimper from behind him made the serial killer look over his shoulder at the little boy sitting gagged and tied at a corner. "Oh are you uncomfortable?" Uryuu asked cheerfully and with a disturbing smile. "Sorry 'bout that, but I can't have you running off after all. People – cops in particular – are just so unappreciative about art. I'm a misunderstood artist don't you know? People as they are just so **boring**. They're so ordinary, and it's only when they stop being ordinary that they also stop being boring. But it seems that most people just can't understand that for some reason. My girlfriend was just like that; I thought that she would be different at first, but in the end she was also boring and ordinary. So I made her into a work of art, my very first one. Oh, do you want to say something?" The child whimpered through his gag and Uryuu beamed.

"I'm sure you'll be able to keep a promise not to tell anyone if I let you go…" Uryuu said while patting the kid on the head. "…but I can't do that. It's not that I don't trust you, it's just that this book I found in that old room has something about summoning…well, something. Hopefully it's a demon. But you know what it would just be plain rude to something as **cool **as a demon without showing it the proper hospitality, wouldn't you agree? So I'll give you to the demon to become its friend. Doesn't that sound great?"

The boy began to struggle in earnest and Uryuu sighed in disappointment. "How disappointing…even children don't understand my art. Oh well…" the serial killer complained with a sigh before turning away from the struggling child and back to the summoning circle. The boy struggled even harder once the disturbed youth had turned his back on him, and while he failed to get free from his limbs, he managed to ungag his mouth.

"…help!" he shouted repeatedly at the top of his voice.

"…oh be quiet already you noisy brat…" an annoyed Uryuu snapped out as he turned to the brat…and the wall facing the street exploded inwards, silencing child and serial killer alike. A blonde wearing a stylish black jacket with matching shoes and pants over a white shirt strode in, casually stepping over the rubble of the wall.

"There I was minding my own business, when out of nowhere I hear the cries of a child crying for help." Archer said with his usual smirk. "And well, I am the King of Heroes. What is a hero if he can't even respond to a child's screams?" The Servant looked at the corpses tumbled over the couch and then back to the gawking pair before him. "Well what do you know? Perhaps my little walk around the neighbourhood wasn't a complete loss after all. I get to be a hero…and a King at the same time. Don't think you'll get away with this, **mongrel**."

* * *

Elsewhere, Nanoha Takamachi sneezed as she tucked herself into her bed. "_That's funny…_" she thought to herself as she went to sleep. _"…I don't usually get sick. Archer isn't back yet too…well I suppose he should be somewhere around nearby. I just hope he doesn't cause a ruckus._"

* * *

A/N

EVA-Saiyajin: Archer refers to Nanoha by her family name because he respects and recognizes her. I'll go into the details of that in later chapters, but suffice to say that she's quite impressed the King of Heroes. Just for starters she doesn't grovel before him like a sycophant, in stark contrast to Tokiomi who Archer holds in contempt as a sycophantic coward lurking in the shadows (which is basically what magi are supposed to do, but since Nanoha doesn't do that it just adds to his respect for her).


End file.
